Birdsboro Water Authority buys pool facility

Photo by Donna Rovins
The former Aquabilities Rehabilitation and Fitness Institute building in Birdsboro. The building, which has been closed since July 2011, has been purchased by the Birdsboro Municipal Authority.

BIRDSBORO — Local officials are hoping to make some money and improve the lives of residents with its recent purchase of the former Aquabilities building.

The Birdsboro Municipal Authority purchased the former aqua therapy building on Main Street for $397,363.86. The building itself cost $380,000.

The site, which will be operated by the Municipal Authority, will offer aqua therapy, a pool for the community and some additional office space for the authority.

Advertisement

According to Authority Chairman Theodore Morse, the newly acquired facilities will fulfill an unmet need, provide the community with a year-round pool and is an overall investment for Birdsboro.

“With interest rates where they are in the bank right now, the amount of return that we’re getting on the capital that’s sitting there isn’t significant, so we are moving forward with this acquisition to put the pool back in service, bring back the aqua therapy, and it is fulfilling the need for the authority for office space,” said Morse.

Aquabilities is expected to be revenue positive in 2015; the money earned from the water facility will go into the Municipal Authority budget.

The Municipal Authority has set the opening of the building for Jan. 1, 2014.

Morse stated the authority is in discussions to sublet the space. They have plans to make the pool accessible for the entire community by setting the membership cost low, and offer a pay-as-you-go model.

“The cost for people to pay-as-you-go will cover the costs of operating and the membership costs will cover what we need to keep the lights on,” said Morse. Memberships will first be offered to customers of the Municipal Authority, and then will be offered to the larger public.

The Birdsboro Municipal Authority is finishing the final phases of the new water treatment plant set to open next month.

“We’ve been able to bring in the new water treatment plant on budget,” said Morse. “Our rates are not high, we have not increased our rates in four years and we do not expect to increase our rates in the future.”

Water and sewer bills are combined for the Borough of Birdsboro and are paid quarterly. A resident in the borough using 12,000 gallons of water a quarter pays less than $100 a month for water and sewer combined.

Morse noted that the lowest cable and Internet package for the borough is $129.

“They’re paying less for water and sewer than they are for their cable. The people who have high water bills are the people that use a lot of water,” said the chairman, who backed the investment of Aquabilities.

“I think it’s a huge asset for the Borough ... it gives you another reason to live in Birdsboro,” Morse said.

Aquabilities Rehabilitation and Fitness Institute in Birdsboro and Blandon closed in July 2011. The Birdsboro location opened in 1993, and offered swim school, physical therapy, aquatic fitness and massage therapy.Kevin Basile, who owned and operated Aquabilities, said at the time he was competing with regional hospitals and physician-based physical therapy offices.